State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake yesterday (Feb 18) said that he has submitted documents regarding 24 ministers and parliamentarians who allegedly consume cocaine to the Speaker and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

He said that some State and Deputy Ministers as well as parliamentarians, provincial council members, some of his staffers and higher-level officials also consume cocaine.

"I will not reveal the names of these individuals since would be an obstruction to the investigations" Mr. Ramanayake remarked.

The State Minister also said that he would undergo a blood test which could determine whether a person has consumed cocaine or 11 other narcotics. On the same lines he added that the report of this test which would cost Rs 4200, will be submitted to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in due course.

He also pointed out that other parliamentarians too could follow suit to prove that their "innocence".

State Minister Ramanayake then alleged that a party leader who claims to represent the estate workers, a parliamentarian from Meegamuwa and a Provincial Council member from Hambantota were some of those who were using cocaine for consumption.

Further, he also claimed that he is in possession of details regarding certain religious leaders who were using cocaine, and politicans representing the Matale, Puttalam, and Kurunegala districts who are engaged in Ethanol business.

"I have details concerning the sons of certain ministers who import naroctic pills" he said.

While emphasising that he had faith only in STF Commandant Senior DIG M.R. Latiff and CID Drector Shani Abeysekara to take action against these individuals, he alleged that he knew people who had built multi-storeyed houses in Colombo by engaging in the drug trade after obtaining a cabinet portfolio.

Mr. Ramanayake then said that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya while referring to the unruly scenes in Parliaments had told him that there is a suspicion as to whether some parliamentarians were in the possession of any narcotic substance.